My first attempt to make something from a gourd.

Remember the dried gourd I bought the other day at the Farmers Market?

Well come along and see what I came up with...

Using a steady object to draw my cut line.

I used a candle the height I wanted the bowl to be.

I turned the gourd to make the line even.

I scored the line several times with a kitchen knife.

Then carefully cut through with a serrated knife.
I cleaned out the gourd and did some sanding inside and out.
I decided to do a leaf design in fall colors.

I loosely sketched the leaves with a black colored pencil.
After I traced the leaves I free handed some of the details in.

Fall colors of gold, burgundy, orange and metallics of gold and bronze. Acrylic paints.

I first painted the background with the bronze metallic paint.
Let it dry for a bit.

Then I painted the leaves layering many colors and metallics.

More drying.... then I retraced with the pencil.

I painted the inside of the bowl also.

One step left to spray it with a semi-gloss varnish.

One bowl ready for some Autumn trinkets and treasures!